Chapter 368: Chapter 316: I’ll Watch for a Little While Longer...
In a courtyard of the Xiao Mansion.
Xiao Mo was practicing his Spear Technique.
Zhou Ruoxi sat to the side, knitting a sweater. From time to time, she would lift her head to watch her son.
In Zhou Ruoxi’s eyes, even though her Mo’er was only thirteen, he already had the air of a young adult.
Just as Xiao Mo was getting into the rhythm of his spear practice...
A Maid from the First Madam’s front courtyard walked to the edge of the courtyard, bowed, and said:
"Fifth Madam, an official from the Minister of the Ministry of War has come. He said that the Third Young Master’s assignment has been confirmed. This is a letter from the Ministry of War, please take a look."
"Thank you, miss." Zhou Ruoxi bowed in return and accepted the envelope.
After the Maid departed, Zhou Ruoxi opened the envelope.
The letter indeed bore the seal of the Ministry of War.
Zhou Ruoxi read the contents of the letter carefully, over and over again. She couldn’t help but press her lips together.
"Mother, which army was I assigned to?"
Xiao Mo put away his Long Spear and asked curiously.
Zhou Ruoxi looked at her son, her voice trembling slightly. "The Iron Tiger Army."
Hearing the three words "Iron Tiger Army," Xiao Mo was stunned for a moment.
It wasn’t that Xiao Mo hadn’t heard of the Iron Tiger Army’s reputation. He had learned about it from Xiao Yang and the others back on the training grounds.
The Qin Kingdom had three great armies: Prince Zhenbei’s Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry, Prince Zhennan’s Desert Wind Army, and the Iron Tiger Army, which answered directly to the Sovereign of Qin.
But the Iron Tiger Army was very different from the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry and the Desert Wind Army.
Even the most ordinary soldier in the Iron Tiger Army was required to be literate, possess martial talent far beyond the average person, and have an untarnished family background.
This was because the Iron Tiger Army was less of an army and more of a military academy.
In the Iron Tiger Army, every soldier had to study the art of war.
Furthermore, the training in the Iron Tiger Army was notoriously brutal.
Moreover, the soldiers of the Iron Tiger Army had to fight on the battlefield, experiencing a baptism of blood and steel.
Countless men had either been trained to death by their instructors in the Iron Tiger Army or had fallen on the battlefield.
But those who made it through the Iron Tiger Army were the best of the best.
Based on each person’s performance and military achievements over seven years,
some soldiers might be selected for the Imperial Guard.
Others would be assigned to positions in various armies.
At the very least, they would start as a Centurion.
"Mo’er, I think this Iron Tiger Army..."
Because the Iron Tiger Army was rather unique, entry required the consent of both the individual and their parents.
Therefore, parents could refuse, and Zhou Ruoxi was reluctant to let her son go.
"Mother, I want to go." Xiao Mo knew what his mother was thinking.
"..." Zhou Ruoxi gently pressed her thin lips together, her hand crumpling the envelope.
"Mother... As a son of the Xiao Family, how could I shrink from this challenge? Every name on the list for the Iron Tiger Army is approved by Your Majesty. If I refuse, wouldn’t I bring shame to the Xiao Family?
Besides, in the Iron Tiger Army, I can receive the best possible training. I won’t let the martial arts my master taught me go to waste!"
"..." Hearing her son’s words, Zhou Ruoxi’s expression remained hesitant.
Finally, Zhou Ruoxi turned and walked into the house. "Let me think about it."
"Young Master," Cuicui stepped forward and said to Xiao Mo, "The Madam is worried about you..."
"I know." Xiao Mo looked at his mother’s closed door. "I know..."
...
In her room, Zhou Ruoxi sat in her chair until late into the night.
She kept staring at the letter on the table, her slender hands tightly clutching the hem of her dress.
"Madam..."
Cuicui knocked on Zhou Ruoxi’s door.
"Come in," Zhou Ruoxi called out softly.
Cuicui pushed the door open and entered, carrying a bowl of egg fried rice. "Madam, you should have something to eat."
"Thank you," Zhou Ruoxi replied. "But Cuicui, I don’t have much of an appetite right now."
"..." Cuicui didn’t know what to say and could only stand to the side.
After a long while, Zhou Ruoxi looked up at her maid. "Cuicui, tell me. I always say I’ll support Mo’er’s decisions, but when it comes to a critical moment, all I want is to keep him by my side. Am I really a good mother? Am I being too selfish?"
"Madam, you mustn’t say such things," Cuicui said hastily. "If you aren’t a good mother, then no one in this world is. You’re just worried about the Young Master’s safety. Such is the heart of a parent. I’m sure the Young Master will understand."
"You’re right..." Zhou Ruoxi looked at the clothes she was knitting for her son, which lay on her lap. "Mo’er is so much more sensible than other children his age. He will certainly understand. And as his mother, how can I not understand my own son?"
"Madam, you mean...?"
Zhou Ruoxi looked toward her son’s room and smiled faintly.
"The Xiao Mansion is not small, but it’s not that big either. Mo’er has a much wider world to explore. He shouldn’t be confined to this small space."
...
The next morning, Xiao Mo woke up early to practice his spear as usual.
Having not slept all night, Zhou Ruoxi watched her son through the window.
Her gaze never left him, not even for a moment, as if she wanted to burn the image of her son into her mind forever.
"Huu..."
After some time, Zhou Ruoxi took the letter from the Ministry of War, walked out of the house, and called out softly, "Mo’er..."
"Mother." Xiao Mo put away his Long Spear.
Zhou Ruoxi walked up to her son and handed him the envelope with both hands. "Mo’er, this is for you."
"Mother, this is?"
"I have already signed it and pressed my thumbprint. You can take this letter directly to the Ministry of War to report for duty today," Zhou Ruoxi said with a faint smile.
"Mother, I..."
"There, there. No need to say any more."
Zhou Ruoxi gently ruffled her son’s hair.
"After you go to the Iron Tiger Army, you must train hard, but you must also pay more attention to your health.
Don’t try to be a hero in everything you do.
I know you have a stubborn personality, but be lenient with others when you can.
Oh, and one more thing.
Make sure you eat plenty.
And wear more clothes when it gets cold.
Do you understand?"
Xiao Mo nodded. "I will remember."
"As long as you remember." Zhou Ruoxi straightened her son’s collar. "It’s about time. Don’t be late. Go on."
Xiao Mo took a step back, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed three times, his forehead striking the ground heavily.
Zhou Ruoxi’s eyes wavered. She gripped her sleeves tightly, holding back her tears.
Xiao Mo stood up and said solemnly, "Mother, I’m leaving now."
"Mm."
With his mother’s acknowledgment, Xiao Mo turned, walked out of the courtyard, and headed toward the gates of the Xiao Mansion.
Zhou Ruoxi stood outside the courtyard, watching. Even after Xiao Mo had disappeared at the end of the road, she did not look away.
"Madam, the Young Master is gone. The winter air is cold, let’s go inside..." Cuicui came to her mistress’s side and said softly.
"It’s alright."
Zhou Ruoxi shook her head.
"I’ll just watch a little longer... just a little longer..."
